Most people would agree that wrongful convictions should never happen. Unfortunately, it happens to a large percentage of inmates every year. Sometimes, it is the fault of the police. The police may use interrogation techniques that cause more harm than good.
The Innocence Project suggests that recording the interrogations could protect the suspects. The following is how recording can help prevent a false confession.
Avoid the false confession
Did you know that many of the people who had their convictions overturned due to DNA evidence wrongly confessed to committing a crime? Sometimes, a person may not commit a crime but instead, remain so afraid of the person interrogating him or her that confession comes easily. He or she may lie and confess to the crime. When recorded, the police are less likely to exhaust you, starve you or bring you to the brink. The cops have to treat you humanely and allow you to eat and rest.
Keep law enforcement accountable
Interrogating officers are less likely to break the rules when recorded. If an officer records the entire interrogation, then all interactions remain accounted for. Your rights as an American still have the same protections.
Not only does it stop the police from abusing their power, but it also protects the police. If there is a dispute about how the officer treated the suspect, then he or she can use the recording as proof. Recording an entire interrogation also provides police with the ability to listen to the interrogation more than once. They may discover subtle details that they might miss the first time.